


Maternal Recognition and Remembrance Day

by prettypinkliquid



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Tooth Rotting Fluff, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24124039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettypinkliquid/pseuds/prettypinkliquid
Summary: After being given a chance to clear her name, Cara returns to the life she left behind, but finds it's not the same as when she left.orCara gets out of jail and has a tantrum because things don't initially go her way.  Din calls her out on her bullshit, and gives her an ultimatum. Cara realizes what she stands to lose, and hopes Din doesn't insist on her sticking to her word.
Relationships: Cara Dune & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Cara Dune/The Mandalorian, Caradin
Comments: 24
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has a character in it that is going to be part of a series that is set to follow Baby Thing My Ass. I thought about not including her for this piece, but I couldn't leave her out.

Din walked along the sidewalk in Galactic City, headed for a large gray building to be reunited with Cara, elated that her thirty days were finally up, her debt had been paid, and she would be freed in less than an hour.

After several long conversations they had agreed for Cara to remove her birth control implant and let nature take its course, agreeing that they were already managing both Bean and ten-year-old Cairo, Cara’s own foundling, quite well. They had come to Galactic City to have the procedure done, and while she was at the clinic the children remained on the ship, and Din had wandered to a nearby cantina to wait out the necessary time it would take for the operation.

While at the cantina he had bumped into a familiar face, a former bounty had done his time and gotten his life back on track and was now a high-ranking law officer. He credited Din with causing him to turn his life around, and upon hearing details about the Mandalorian’s personal life made arrangements to remove all of the major charges from Cara’s chain code as both a thank you, and a wedding present.

After picking her up from the clinic Din informed her what had happened at the cantina, and that thanks to the favor the most she’d be looking at was thirty days confinement, Cara had insisted on returning to the ship to spend one last night with her babies before turning herself in the following morning. She wanted to get rid of that part of the specter that chased them constantly. She had insisted on the children not being a part of it, not wanting them to have the image in their memory of their mother being taken into custody.

Cairo knew why Cara had stayed behind; they chose not to say anything to Bean because they were unsure if he would be able to comprehend what was going on. The first week of being on the ship with two kids as a single parent were rough on Din. Cairo helped as much as she could, but she was still a little girl. Both kids had slept with him in the double bunk, seeking comfort in not only his physical presence but Cara’s lingering scent.

While checking out a lead on the location of Bean’s people Cairo had discovered an album of photographs of Alderaan, as well as a calendar that listed all the planet’s holidays. She pointed out to Din that Cara was being released the day before a holiday called Maternal Recognition and Remembrance Day. The ten-year-old asked if they could do something special for her for it, and Din had instantly agreed, seeing it not only as a celebration of the holiday but a welcome home celebration.

They had come up with things for each of the two kids to do for her, and Din had returned to Galactic City a couple of days early so they could pick up supplies and get everything ready. The kids had asked to remain behind this time, Cairo was worried that in their excitement to see her they might spoil the surprises they had in store for her.

Din entered the building, stopping once to have the bag he carried that contained the belongings that Cara always carried on her person inspected, and a second time to enquire where he needed to go to meet her. He was pointed in the direction of a long corridor of rooms called exit rooms, and when he found the one that had Cara’s last name on it, he opened the door and went inside.

He was soon joined by a guard, and his hackles rose, but after brief instruction of what to expect—Cara would be escorted to the room, cuffs would be removed, door would close, at that point they were free to leave—the guard left, and he was on his own again. After what felt like an eternity, he could hear multiple footsteps approaching, then the door opened and there she was.

Cara entered the room, and as soon as the cuffs were off she immediately crossed to him, and they shared the most intimate embrace that Din’s helmet allowed, resting their foreheads together. “Where are the kids?” She asked.

“They decided to stay on the ship. They’ve…” Din began.

Cara’s head snapped up and black opals hardened. Thirty days without her family had taken its toll, allowing her insecurities to rear their ugly heads. It had been made worse by the jeering guards who couldn’t resist commenting on the fact that she’d had absolutely zero contact of any kind, even though Din had been told how he and the children could still communicate with her.

Anxiety had pushed her to the point she’d convinced herself he was just trying to get rid of her, and the fact that he’d shown up alone cemented that thought in her mind. “They’ve decided they don’t need a momma anymore, especially one that’s been a convicted felon,” she growled, cutting him off.

“What? No!” Din exclaimed. Cara snatched the bag he’d brought and quickly returned the few items in it to their usual spots on her body. Din grabbed her wrist. “Cara, please let me…”

Her temper now past the point of reason she spat in his face and wrenched her arm free. “Have fun being a single dad Mando,” she snarled before spinning on her heel and leaving the room. A stunned Din stood in the middle of the room, and he reached up to wipe the spit from his visor with a sigh. He was torn. Part of him wanted to chase her down and knock some sense into her, and a part of him wanted to simply return to the ship and leave before she had the chance to calm down and regret what she’d said and done.

He decided on somewhat of a compromise. He’d return to the ship, and after having to break their daughter’s heart with the news that momma decided not to come home today, he’d use the comm link he knew she had to issue her an ultimatum. She had an hour to come and collect the rest of her belongings before he left, after that it would be boxed up and then simply be left sitting on the dock as a free for all for anyone who wanted it.

He left the room, already dreading what he was about to do.

* * *

Just shy of an hour later Din stood and prepared to re-board the ship and box up her belongings when he saw her saunter towards the bay where the ship was moored. He could tell from the way she walked she’d spent a handful of credits on alcohol, and she wasn’t drunk, more of what he would call gently inattentive. Her reactions to things were just slightly off, something that would only be noticeable to someone who knew her as well as he did.

She started to walk past him up the gangway, but he caught her by the elbow. “If you still intend to leave, I won’t stop you. But I’m asking you as a last favor to do it quietly. Cairo’s already cried herself to sleep once tonight. I don’t want her to wake up and think you’re staying after all only to have her heart broken all over again,” he said firmly.

He let go of her elbow and she continued up the gangway and into the ship, stopping short at the sight of the galley table. It had been set for dinner, and at what was her usual place was a small pile of gifts, including one that was big enough it was stood on the floor and leaning against the table. She faltered a moment, and Din decided to say what she hadn’t permitted him to say earlier.

“Cairo found a calendar that lists off all the major holidays celebrated on Alderaan, and apparently tomorrow is one meant to celebrate mothers. As soon as she saw it and realized that it lined up with your release date, she begged to be able to do something special for you for it. She wanted to celebrate not just you clearing your name, but you being her mom. Every port we stopped at she’d spend all day at whatever local market there was doing everything she could think of to earn credits to purchase a gift for you. She even figured out a way to include something that would be a gift from Bean,” he explained. “That’s why they didn’t come with me. She was so worried they’d spoil the surprise she asked to stay on the ship instead.”

Cara’s head bowed and her chin trembled. She knew full well what holiday Alderaan would’ve celebrated tomorrow, it was why she was so looking forward to seeing the kids. Once again, she’d let her temper and her insecurities get the better of her and she’d jumped the gun. Proof to her that she just wasn’t cut out for motherhood, or any sort of relationship for that matter. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the tears at bay. “I’m sorry,” she husked. “I’ll still go if you think it would be best at this point. I don’t want to confuse and disappoint them anymore than I already have.”

Din answered by reaching out and pressing the key combination on the wall panel that raised the gangway door, getting a small smile from her. “I promised her we’d stay overnight just incase you changed your mind,” he said, his tone changing slightly so that it was edged with a tinge of playfulness as if she was twisting his arm to make him let her stay. He got it, Cara was so used to being abandoned, that when they hadn’t contacted her at all during her incarceration, she fully expected that’s what he’d done. He couldn’t wait to tell her the truth. Once she knew, not only would she be alright with what had happened, had he not done what he did, she would’ve been more upset than she was now.

Cara moved into the master sleeping compartment, fully expecting to see two separate bunks, and finding herself relieved when she saw that he had left them joined. Din watched as she sat on the bed and removed her boots, tucking them under the bed. She stood and took off all the things she normally carried on her body and put them in the tray beside the bed.

Cara padded out of the main compartment and into the children’s room. She lightly ran a hand over the top of Bean’s head and stroked his ears, he was such a heavy sleeper she had no worries that the light touch would wake him. She smiled as he seemed to murmur in his sleep. She turned her attention to Cairo, who despite not being her child, reminded Cara of herself so much, it was ridiculous. The ten-year-old was sprawled on her stomach, blankets nearly completely over her head, her little bare feet sticking out the bottom. Just like Cara, Cairo couldn’t sleep if her feet were hot.

Cara sat down on the floor next to the bunk, silent tears sliding down her cheeks as her brain reminded her of what she’d almost walked away from. A man who loved her, faults and all, to the point he’d married her, and two children who loved her and she them as if they were her own flesh and blood.

Unable to stop herself, she reached up and shifted the blanket back just enough to see Cairo’s face, and then tucked the messy strands of hair back, tucking them behind an ear. Cairo stirred, but didn’t wake. Din expected her to sit up most of the night just watching them sleep.

He removed his helmet and took it into the main compartment, glad to be in the presence of those who allowed him to be free of its claustrophobic confinements without losing his honor. He placed it on its stand before heading up to the cockpit. He couldn’t be angry at her for how she had behaved, she’d had no idea that within days of starting her time he’d gotten one promising lead after another about Bean and his people, to the point he’d been able to narrow down that Bean’s home planet was at least within the Core, if not the Deep Core. 

He initiated the startup sequence, wanting to get off the planet, and into hyperspace as quickly as possible. A light appeared on one of the smaller instrument panels that kept up with the inner-workings of the ship, and he grinned, knowing that Cara had gotten in the fresher. He didn’t blame her; he would’ve wanted to do the same thing. The ship lifted off from the bay and was out of the port and off world in a matter of minutes.

As soon as the ship slipped into hyperspace Din yawned and stretched, turning the chair and propping his feet up. The soft hiss of the cockpit doors caught his attention and he smiled to see Cara approaching him, dressed in one of the loose sleeveless undershirts she always slept in, her hair still wet from her shower. “Hey gorgeous,” he rumbled softly.

She smiled his favorite smile. The one that made her duck her head and bite her lower lip. The one that went all the way up to her eyes. She padded over and settled cross-ways on his lap, scooching down until she could tuck her head under his chin. He kissed the top of her head and loosely wrapped his arms around her.

This was much loved way to unwind and reconnect after the end of a long day. No words, just the blissful happy silence of being together. Cara’s ear was pressed against his chest, and she smiled as she felt the cadence of her heart slowly change rhythm until it matched his. It was one of her favorite things about them as a couple. As she listened to his heart, she could feel the stress and anxiety melt away, the sound capable of doing something alcohol could not. “I’m sorry about earlier, I was so anxious to see all of you again after so long, that when it didn’t go the way it did in my head I thought my biggest fear had come true. I owe you a helmet cleaning too,” she mumbled.

“You don’t owe me anything,” he mumbled, burying his nose in her hair, suddenly aware of how much he’d missed the sweet, clean, scent. He began running a hand through the ebony strands, enjoying the silken texture.

“Keep that up and you’re gonna have to figure out how to carry me down that ladder,” she mumbled sleepily.

“Then let’s go downstairs so I can do it til you fall asleep in my arms,” he rumbled.

“Sold,” she said, but made no attempt to move, making Din chuckle.

“Sweetheart,” he gently prompted.

“Mmm?” came the drowsy response.

“You actually have to get up,” he answered.

“Meanie,” she said, getting to her feet with a sigh.

Din stood and guided her towards the cockpit ladder, already looking forward to the excited squeals the children would make in the morning when they found that momma had come home.


	2. Careful What You Wish For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a fine line between being angry, and being a brat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points if you know where I got one of the quotes from!

The following morning Din woke and slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, having been right about Cara sitting up and watching her babies sleep. She’d finally come to bed a couple of hours ago, curling up in the sheets and sobbing quietly into her pillow. Concerned, he’d tried to comfort her, but she’d pushed him away. Din assumed it was because she was still realizing what she’d nearly lost last night.

He padded through the galley to the vac unit where he’d relieved himself, then padded back through towards the children’s room to wake them up. He gently shook Cairo, and then onto Bean, who would take a little longer to rouse. “Did Cara cry herself to sleep?” Came the ten-year-old’s voice behind him.

Din back stiffened, and he turned to look at the girl. “Excuse me?” He questioned in disbelief. Why was she now calling Cara by name instead of momma? She’d latched onto the moniker as soon as Din had suggested it. Surely, she wasn’t the cause of Cara coming to bed and quietly crying her eyes out. “What did you do?”

“Last night, I woke up and she was sitting in the floor holding my hand. I pulled it away and told her to go to bed. She said, “momma’s so sorry”, and I told her I don’t have a momma anymore before I rolled over and went back to sleep,” Cairo explained. “It’s why I begged you to wait cos I knew she’d come back.”

Din couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. He understood that Cairo was angry, and she had every right to be. Her pulling her hand away and rolling over to go back to sleep was one thing. But knowing that she not only took away one of the things that was the most precious to Cara, but had set it up so that she could deliberately do so crossed the line between being angry, and being a brat. “Get up, go to the vac unit if you need to, get dressed and make your bed. I’ll be back in a minute, and you don’t leave this room to do anything other than what I told you, do you understand?” He questioned, his expression stern.

Cairo nodded, and he picked up a still sleeping Bean, carrying him out of the kids’ room and into his own sleeping quarters, to let him spend a little while snuggling and snoozing with Cara. He lightly shook her, getting her to wake up just enough to be aware he’d put the baby in bed with her. He didn’t want him to be confused by what was about to happen next.

Since Cairo had decided she didn’t have a mom anymore, he took her words to heart. With no mom, there was no reason for her to celebrate. He picked up the two items she’d gotten for her as gifts, grabbed a nutria bar and a bottle of citrus juice from the chiller, and carried them back into the kids’ room.

The ten-year-old had taken her clothes with her to the vac, so she was dressed when she came back. “Make your bed,” he instructed matter of factly.

While she did, he opened both gifts and unceremoniously dumped their contents on her desk next to the nutria bar and the juice bottle. “For the rest of the day, unless it’s to go to the vac unit, you do not come out of this room without permission, am I understood?”

“But…” the ten-year-old began, not at all happy that what she thought was a terrific way to get back at Cara had landed her in trouble.

“Am. I. Understood?” Din said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Cairo kept quiet and stared defiantly.

“You don’t have a mom, you don’t need to celebrate one, right?” He asked.

She refused to answer him, determined to prove that she didn’t care that she was in trouble. That was fine with him, she wanted to be a stubborn brat she could be, but she wasn’t going to ruin the day for the rest of them. “Next port we stop at you can sell those so you can pay me back the extra credits I gave you to buy them with,” he said. “I’ll be back before I wake everyone else for breakfast, and we’ll see if you’re ready to change your mind.” He pushed off the desk and left the room.

* * *

An hour later, with breakfast ready to put on the table, Din returned to the kids room and saw that the gifts had been neatly stacked in one corner of her desk and the paper had been carefully flattened in an attempt to salvage it. _She’s having second thoughts._

The ten-year-old was sitting on her bed working on one of the lessons in her Mando’a workbook and nibbling on dried naangfruit. He’d allowed her to neglect her studies while Cara was away, and the temporary isolation would give her plenty of time to catch up. _Not to mention she knows Cara won’t be happy she ignored it and got so far behind._ He smiled to himself. “Ready to change your mind?” He asked.

Cairo kept her eyes on her workbook and didn’t acknowledge his presence, so he took it to mean no. “Suit yourself,” he said.

He left the kids room and padded into the master bedroom to wake up Cara. He grinned to see that Bean had snuggled up next to Cara so that their faces touched while they slept. Din stretched out on the bed next to her and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. Cara’s eyes fluttered, and there was an intake of breath as she woke up. She smiled to see Din looking at her, but it was brief, the memory of what had come out of their daughter’s mouth still fresh on her mind. He never gave her the chance to speak.

“Good morning momma. If you will proceed to make use of the vac unit we can get started with breakfast and celebrating the holiday,” he said.

“I don’t wanna have breakfast and celebrate with her, I just wanna eat and get started on figuring out our next stop to find Bean’s people,” she said, reaching up to stroke a long ear, the baby having cooed at hearing his name.

“She’s not joining us. She told me what she did last night so she got a nutria bar and some juice for breakfast. For the remainder of today, and possibly until she’ s ready to apologize and mean it, she’s grounded to her room except for using the vac unit,” Din explained. “She doesn’t have a momma, so she doesn’t need to celebrate.”

“Is that fair to her though to hear us and know she’s not allowed to be a part of it?” Cara asked.

“If you want me to be honest, I don’t care if it’s fair to her or not. She needs to learn that actions have consequences, and in this case that means having to listen to a celebration rather than be a part of it because you thought it was okay to be a brat,” he replied. “Now, you visit the vac while I get Bean changed, and we’ll meet you at the table in five minutes.”

They both got out of bed, and while Cara headed for the vac to relieve herself, Din carried Bean into the kids room to get him out of his diaper and into his underwear or what Cara teasingly called his big boy pants.

As he was getting him changed Din expected him to ask about his sister or at least call out to her, but surprisingly he remained silent. When Din picked him up, Bean looked at Cairo and growled low in his throat, and Din suspected he’d been awake when her exchange with Cara had taken place. Although he loved his sister, the only person he was more devoted to than Cara was Din himself.

He carried him back into the main living area and settled him in his chair before stepping over to the cooker and putting the final additions on breakfast. Bean wiggled happily, knowing today he got to eat more of the big red berries his dada got yesterday and let him have a taste of. Cara returned from the vac unit and slid into her place at the table. She spent a moment just watching Din work.

He was dressed in the soft black lightweight pants he preferred to wear anytime the Beskar wasn’t a necessity. He was both barefoot and shirtless, and the dishtowel was slung over his shoulder. He was humming to himself and bopping his head along to the tune. She loved that he was just as adept with a frying pan, as he was with a pulse rifle. ‘I like to eat’ he’d said one evening when she’d teased him about it. “Why don’t you open your gifts while I finish this up. The two little one’s are from Bean, and the big one leaning against the table is from me,” he said.

Cara picked up one of the two smaller packages and gently tore into the paper, Bean suddenly very attentive now that she was opening the stuff he’d picked. The first gift was a simple piece of framed artwork of Bean’s handprints, accompanied by a short quote. _Walk beside me momma and hold my little hand. There are so many things in life I don’t yet understand. Little hearts need loving hands to guide them as they grow, so walk beside me momma, there’s such a long way to go._

Cara wiped her eyes with her shirt and propped up the artwork before moving on to the next gift. She smiled to see that this one was a small wooden box, and when she opened it a tinkling tune began to play. Bean’s ears perked and he began to coo in harmony to the tune. She suspected that the two of them having a shared love for this kind of music, and his reaction to the melody is why it was chosen, but she closed her eyes as its origin began to play in her mind. “Mirrorbright shines the moon, as fires burn to their embers. Those you loved are with you still—the moon will help you remember,” she sang softly.

“You recognize the song?” Din asked.

“I more than recognize it. Mirrorbright, is also known as the Alderaanian Lullaby. It’s one of the first songs you learn growing up,” She replied. “You don’t pay attention to the lyrics until you start school, which is usually when you learn that Alderaan never had a moon, so the lyrics don’t make sense.”

She carefully put the music box aside and picked up the huge package that Din said was from him. When she tore away the paper her breath caught in her chest. It was a collage frame that had five panels. Four of the panels were her favorite photos of herself and Din, and the center panel was a quote.

**_Once, a long, long time ago, all people had four legs and two heads. And then, the Gods threw down thunderbolts, and split everyone into two. Each half then had two legs, and one head. But the separation left both sides with a desperate yearning to be reunited, because they shared the same soul. And ever since then, all people spend their lives searching for the other half of their soul._ **

At the bottom of the quote was a date and Cara instantly recognized it as the day they met. “I want this hung up over our bed,” she said. “It’s gorgeous and I love the quote.”

“Kinda thought that’s where you’d want it since you’ve always said the wall is too sparse for your liking,” he said, turning to the table with three plates in his hands. He put one in front of Cara and then put the others on the table for himself and Bean.

Cara looked at what was on the plate and then looked up at Din with a huge smile. “I haven’t had flatcakes with strawberries since I was a child,” she said.

Din retrieved the caff as well as a bottle of juice for Bean and settled at the table. He poured them both a cup of the steaming liquid and then opened Bean’s juice bottle and put his sippy straw in it. Bean clapped his hands and picked up one of the strawberries, cramming the entire thing into his mouth, making both Din and Cara laugh. “You can eat all of them first if you want, but you can’t have anymore til you eat your flatcakes,” Din said.

Bean responded by picking up one of the flatcakes and taking a bite. “Mmm,” he vocalized.

“Good stuff huh kiddo?” Cara asked.

Bean nodded in response.

There was a noise from the kids’ room and all three turned towards the sound. “I told her she has to catch up her schoolwork and she has to apologize and mean it in order to get her punishment lifted. She’s already been having second thoughts, and I’d say having to listen to life go on without her is starting to drive home how just how bad her decision was,” Din explained.

“Why is she catching up her schoolwork?” Cara asked. “How far behind did you let her get?”

“Not far. I told it her it would be up to her if she stayed caught up or not, but that she’d have to deal with the consequences when you came home. I think she lasted maybe a week before she got so bored she started to study again for the excuse to have something to do,” Din answered. “By the time we landed in Galactic City she was less than a day from being completely caught up.”

“As bad as it kills me to know she’s being confined in a space not much bigger than the one I was housed in, I still think it’s an appropriate punishment. She’s pushed a boundary way too far. I give her until dinner this evening before she cracks. She’s a tough cookie, but she’s still a little girl who likes to be around her family way more than she likes to be alone,” Cara said.

“If she hasn’t said anything by bedtime we’ll go in and chat with her, see if we can get through to her that way,” Din suggested.

Cara nodded in agreement and they returned their attention to their food. Bean stared at the doorway to the room he shared with his sister and shook his head. When they went to pick up momma again Cairo had been all excited and happy, and then when momma came back she was mean and made momma cry. A thumping sound got his attention and he saw that daddy had put more berries on his plate. He let out a happy coo and went back to his breakfast. 

* * *

In the kids’ room Cairo sat on her bed, hugging her legs to her chest with her face hidden against her knees as she listened to the laughter and chatter of her family. Fat tears of shame slid down her cheeks and she tried to keep quiet, grabbing her pillow to help muffle her sobs. She was so ashamed of herself.

When she’d called Cara by name and told her she wasn’t her momma anymore, it seemed like the perfect thing to say to get back at her for what she’d done. Now she realized it was not only stupid because it had gotten her in trouble, but it wasn’t true, and she wished she hadn’t said it. She remembered what Din had said about being careful with words and what she said. Once they’re out, they’re out. You can’t take them back.

From the moment they met she felt a connection with Cara that she hadn’t felt with anyone before, not even with her birth mom. They had barely known each other for twenty-four hours and Cara had not only promised to do whatever she had to do to get Cairo out of the situation she was in, but had treated the girl as if she’d given birth to her herself.

She’d been so excited when they’d told her she could now call them momma and daddy. For the very first time in her life she felt as though she had a home, and that she belonged somewhere, and had a family. And then last night she got mad, and her temper took over, and she ruined all that with one simple sentence.

Cairo looked over at the two brick shaped objects sitting on her desk. When they were activated, they showed an image like a holotransciever, only they didn’t move and didn’t play audio. She and Bean had recorded two images that she thought Cara would love.

Cairo eyed the door to her bedroom. Daddy had said that to come out of her room she had to catch up her studies, and she had to apologize and mean it. She’d gotten all her assignments up to date so why couldn’t she go tell momma she was sorry? _Because I’m scared she won’t accept and I really don’t have a momma anymore._

Why did she have to open her mouth? She bet they were both seriously regretting rescuing her, and they were thinking about where the closest port was so that they could get rid of her. She flopped over onto her bed and buried her head in her pillow to muffle her sobs.

* * *

After eating breakfast and getting Cara’s gifts put in their appropriate homes, Din and Cara sat in the cockpit with Bean, discussing where to go next to try and locate Bean’s people. “The reason we didn’t contact you while you were inside is because I kept getting one promising lead after another about the location of his people, and I had to act fast to make sure I could find the necessary people before they moved on,” Din explained.

Cara felt a weight lift off her chest. Outside of bounties find information about the location of Bean’s people was their top priority. She would’ve wanted him to put their son first over anything else if she hadn’t been confined, so knowing that’s what he did in her absence was a good thing. “What did you find out?” She asked.

“His people likely come from the Deep Core,” he answered. “Everyone knows how it’s practically impossible to navigate, so they’ve rarely been seen. So now that we know where to start looking the goal is to see if we can find his homeworld and figure out why he was taken.”

They heard footsteps on the ladder and turned to the door. The cockpit doors hissed open and Cairo walked in, eyes red and socketed from weeping, hair sticking to her damp cheeks. “I’m s…sorry,” she blubbered.

“Apology accepted,” Cara said, reaching out to snag the girl’s wrist. She pulled her over to sit crossways on her lap, tucking her head beneath her chin.

‘Please don’t be mad at me,” she begged before she began to cry in earnest.

“Momma’s not mad,” Cara soothed, tucking dark locks behind an ear as she rocked her upper body from side to side as she let the girl cry herself out.

“Daddy was just telling momma about what we found out about your brother,” Din said, hoping to get her to focus on something positive to help her calm down. “He didn’t get to tell her about your part yet.”

“Whatcha do?” Cara murmured.

“She took notes when I met with people and used them to figure out that the Deep Core is our best bet,” Din explained. “She’s also been writing a message I can record and then send out as a transmission similar to a distress call.”

“I still think I should record it. People don’t know who I am. If they see daddy, they’ll know exactly which young one he’s talking about and we’ll be hounded by Imps,” Cairo snuffled.

“She’s got a point there daddy,” Cara agreed.

“I know, I just worry they won’t take it seriously because of her age,” Din said.

“So, we do mine first, and then if we don’t get an answer, or don’t get an answer we like, daddy can do one as a follow up,” Cairo said.

“If you’re this good at strategy now, you’re going to be an absolute force to be reckoned with when you grow up,” Cara said.

Cairo managed to smile and sat up so she could look Cara in the eye. “I have an impressive teacher,” she said. Cara snickered and kissed the girl’s temple.

Din smiled as he watched the two of them interact, happy that the family dynamic was back to normal. In his lap, Bean shook his head again at his sister’s behavior. First, she was happy that momma came home, then she was mad, and now she was happy again. Sisters were weird.

* * *

Later that night after Cairo had taken her shower she tiptoed into her room where her momma sat waiting on her bunk. The ten-year old gave Cara the brush then sat on her bunk with her back turned. Cara began running the brush through the girl’s waist length hair, the act of having it brushed as vital to her bedtime routine as cuddling was for Bean. “Get your schoolwork caught up?” Cara asked gently.

“Yep,” Cairo answered. “I even got a couple of the one’s done for tomorrow.”

Cara smiled. This was the child she knew.

“I really am sorry for what I said, I was just mad cause when we met you told me you wouldn’t never leave me like she did,” Cairo said softly.

“I know baby, and I’m sorry I broke that promise,” Cara replied. She put the brush on the ten-year old’s desk and they both shifted with Cairo curling up in her momma’s arms.

Dark orbs landed on the two brick like items on her desk and she sat up again. “Ohmygosh I almost forgot! I got you something too!” she whispered excitedly.

Cairo reached out and picked them up in turn, activating them before putting them back on the desk. It took them a moment to light up and when the images were fully illuminated Cara couldn’t help but smile. One of them featured Cairo sitting Indian style, with Bean standing in her lap. The ten-year old’s hands were shaped into a heart, and both sported huge grins.

The other showed them sitting in the same position, only in this one Cairo had her thumbs in her ears and was sticking her tongue out. Bean meanwhile had his thumb on the end of his nose. This one made Cara laugh. The heart hands were cute, but if you were to ask her to show you a picture of her kids, she’d go for the silly faces one everytime.

“They’re perfect sweetheart. Thank you,” Cara said, giving the girl a gentle squeeze.

“You’re welcome,” Cairo replied. She snuggled back into Cara’s arms, sighing contently at the comforting embrace. “I love you.”

Cara’s eyes quickly began to glitter with unshed tears. “I love you too.”


End file.
